Karlbeck (1879-1967), Orvar

Orvar Karlbeck (1879-1967)was a Swedish collector of Chinese art, who pursued three successful collecting trips on behalf of a consortium of European museums and private collectors in the early 1930s. The consortium was organized by the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm and officially named 'the Karlbeck Syndicate'. After each collecting trip a catalogue was published for its members documenting many of the objects with detailed descriptions and the name of the owner.

The first group of the Karlbeck Syndicate consisted of seventeen Swedish collectors (1929 - 1930): Anders Hellstrom, Countess Wilhelmina von Hallwyl, HRH Gustaf VI Adolf of Sweden, Dr Emil Hultmark, Richard Hultmark, Gustaf Werner, Axel Lundgren, Holger Laurtizen, Ivar Trauggott, Gerhard Verstegh, Carl Kempe, Johannes Hellner, Dr Axel Lagrelius, Joseph Sachs, Eric Nydhal, S. Trugger, M. Mansson, O. Falkmans and the 'Rohsshska Konstslojdmusee' in Goteborg. The first expedition on behalf of the international syndicate started in October 1931 and ended in November 1932. The final trip lasted from May until December 1934.